KJV Dictionary Definition: fair

fair

FAIR, a.

1. Clear; free from spots; free from a dark hue; white; as a fair skin; a fair complexion. hence,

2. Beautiful; handsome; properly, having a handsome face.

Thou art a fair woman to look upon. Gen. 12. Hence,

3. Pleasing to the eye; handsome or beautiful in general.

Thus was be fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches. Ezek. 31.

4. Clear; pure; free from feculence or extraneous matter; as fair water.

5. Clear; not cloudy or overcast; as fair weather; a fair sky.

6. Favorable; prosperous; blowing in a direction towards the place of destination; as a fair wind at sea.

7. Open; direct, as a way or passage. You are in a fair way to promotion. hence, likely to succeed. he stands as fair to succeed as any man.

8. Open to attack or access; unobstructed; as a fair mark; a fair butt; fair in sight; in fair sight; a fair view.

9. Open; frank; hones; hence, equal; just; equitable. My friend is a fair man; his offer is fair; his propositions are fair and honorable.

10. Not effected by insidious or unlawful methods; not foul.

He died a fair and natural death.

11. Frank; candid; not sophistical or insidious; as a fair disputant.

12. Honest; honorable; mild; opposed to insidious and compulsory; as, to accomplish a thing by fair means.

13. Frank; civil; pleasing; not harsh.

When fair words and good counsel will not prevail on us, we must be frighted into our duty.

14. Equitable; just; erited.

His doom is fair,

That dust I am, and shall to dust return.

15. Liberal; not narrow; as a fair livelihood.

16. Plain; legible; as, the letter is written in a fair hand.

17. Free from stain or blemish; unspotted; untarnished; as a fair character or fame.

FAIR, adv.

1. Openly; frankly; civilly; complaisantly.

One of the company spoke him fair.

2. Candidly; honestly; equitably; He promised fair.

3. Happily; successfully.

Now fair befall thee.

4. On good terms; as, to keep fair with the world; to stand fair with one's companions.

To bid fair, is to be likely, or to have a fair prospect.

Fair and square, just dealing; honesty.

FAIR, n.

1. Elliptically, a fair woman; a handsome female. The fair, the female sex.

2. Fairness; applied to things or persons. Not used.

FAIR, n. L. forum, or feriae, a holiday, a day exempt from labor; Gr. to trade, whence, emporium, the primary sense of which is to pass.

A stated market in a particular town or city; a stated meeting of buyers and sellers for trade. A fair is annual or more frequent. The privilege of holding fairs is granted by the king or supreme power. Among the most celebrated fairs in Europe are those of Frankfort and Leipsic in Germany; of Novi in the Milanese; of Riga and Archangel in Russia; of Lyons and St. Germain in France. In Great Britain many towns enjoy this privilege.

fairing

FA'IRING, n. A present given at a fair.

fairness

FA'IRNESS, n.

1. Clearness; freedom from spots or blemishes; whiteness; as the fairness of skin or complexion.

2. Clearness; purity; as the fairness of water.

3. Freedom from stain or blemish; as the fairness of character or reputation.

4. Beauty; elegance; as the fairness of form.

5. Frankness; candor; hence, honesty; ingenuousness; as fairness in trade.

6. Openness; candor; freedom from disguise, insidiousness or prevarication; as the fairness of an argument.

7. Equality of terms; equity; as the fairness of a contract.

8. Distinctness; freedom from blots or obscurity; as the fairness of hand-writing; the fairness of a copy.

Definitions from Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.
Previous word: fainthearted. Next word: faith.